


Five, Six, Seven, Eight

by thirtypercentdone



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura is a lesbian, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Everyone Is Gay, Except Coran - Freeform, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Minor Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Minor Allura/Romelle (Voltron), Minor Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Multi, Mutual Pining, also college students, broganes, no beta we die like men, they're all dance instructors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:55:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24112387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thirtypercentdone/pseuds/thirtypercentdone
Summary: Altea Dance is a small studio on the corner of Arus and Balerma Street, if you hit the 7-11 you’ve gone too far.It is home to one of the best competitive dance teams in the state, A broken vending machine that only accepts quarters, The constant, ever-present scent of lemon cleaner, and an exhausted team of staff.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 66





	1. of idiots and stolen pointe shoes

**Author's Note:**

> ayo! here's the rundown, Allura runs/owns Altea Dance & teaches ballet classes when she finds the time or is filling in for someone else. Hunk, Lance, and Shiro teach hip-hop, Keith and Pidge teach ballet and jazz. Shay teaches broadway-style dance and Adam does freestyle. Hunk, Lance, Keith & Pidge are also in college. 
> 
> (Yes, the author is a former competitive dancer, yes, they are projecting.)

Altea Dance is a small studio on the corner of Arus and Balerma Street, if you hit the 7-11 you’ve gone too far. 

It is home to one of the best competitive dance teams in the state, A broken vending machine that only accepts quarters, The constant, ever-present scent of lemon cleaner, and an exhausted team of staff. 

“McClain!”

Lance barely looks up from the magazine in his hand, something trashy and almost definitely false written across the front, _typical._ “You talking to me or yourself in ten years?”

Keith blinks, practically immune to his co-worker's incessant flirting, “Hilarious.”

“I’m kidding, what is it?” 

Keith sighs, “Could you _please_ tell the hip-hop kids to stop taking the pointe shoes _right_ before my classes start?” 

“Aren’t you the one who thought they should _‘experiment with different dance styles’_ or whatever?”, Lance puts down his magazine to look at Keith, amusement in his stupid and not-at-all-stunning blue eyes. 

“Not with pointe shoes, they’ll break their ankles, and not before _enrolling_ in a class.”, Keith points out, not that he wanted to teach that group anyway, Lance’s students tended to constantly fight each other for the spotlight, it was distracting. 

_Wonder where they got that from._

Lance shrugs, “Not my fault you want to stifle the creativity of the youth.” 

“Don’t you have a class to teach? Or a cliff to drive off of?” 

Lance narrows his eyes before seeming to come to some kind of decision, “So considerate of you to memorize my schedule, really, Keith, I didn’t know you cared so much-” 

“I don’t-”

“And yes, in about five minutes, but if you’ll recall, _someone_ had to talk to me.” 

Keith, for the record, does his level best not to blush. “Oh, right.” 

“It’s fine, dude. And I’ll tell my kids to stay in studio A on break if that helps?” 

“No they can go to the break room, just keep them out of C.”, Keith concedes. 

Lance nods, “Can do. Catch you later?” 

Keith rolls his eyes, “You’re so lame, who even says that?” 

“Cool people, jackass. Later!”, He spins on his heel and starts towards Studio A for his second comp class of the night. 

Keith bites back a smile, “Later.” 

\-----

Their next staff meeting is that night, but they’re all dead on their feet, having taught a respective 3 classes each, Pidge is practically asleep in her chair. 

“-And that’s why I think we should implement a strict no chewing gum during rehearsal rule.”, Allura finishes, Keith is positive he doesn’t imagine the way everyone seems to shake themselves awake. 

“Right. Excellent idea.”, Shiro replies. 

Allura frowns, “Were any of you listening? Someone could have _died_.” 

Pidge, who was _not_ asleep as it turns out, leans over to Keith, “I wish I had some chewing gum and a boombox right about now.” 

Keith, who admittedly, hadn’t been paying attention, raises an eyebrow, “What?” 

“So I could run through a whole routine and blissfully choke to death on hubba-bubba, what a way to go.”

Keith almost snorts a laugh, but Allura glares daggers at him. 

She clears her throat, “Moving on, since we've had a few requests, we’ll be instructing a ballroom workshop on the 5th-” 

“Wait, the 5th?”, Hunk asks. 

Allura nods. 

“I know I said I could help you out, but my little sister's surgery is that day and-” 

Allura cuts him off, “Of course, Hunk. It’s no problem, I’m sure someone can fill in for you.” 

Approximately no one volunteers. 

She pauses for a minute, “Lance, you have experience, yes?” 

Lance leans across the table and winks, “Princess, you have _no_ idea-” 

She cuts him off, “ _Ballroom_ experience.” 

“Oh. Yeah, I do.” 

Allura smiles, “Perfect, and you’re free to teach the workshop?” 

“I thought you’d never ask.” 

The conversation that follows is predictably boring, competitive team schedules, reading parent complaints, it’s all become standard for the instructors. 

The meeting is drawing to a close when Lance speaks up again, “Wait, I need a partner. As talented and self-sufficient as I am, it’s a little hard to teach a two-person dance solo.” 

Pidge snorts, “There’s an innuendo in there somewhere.” 

Shiro gives Pidge a _look_ before Allura replies, “You’re right, Pidge?” 

“I would, but I booked it off months ago, Matts graduation.” 

Allura nods, “Keith?” 

“I’m sick that day.”

She raises an eyebrow, “Really?” 

He nods, “Yes, very. I think it’s the flu or something-” 

She cuts him off, “I know you don’t have any experience, but as a highly-skilled ballet dancer, it will be easy to pick up before the workshop comes around.” 

Keith raises an eyebrow, “Flattery will get you nowhere.” 

She sighs, “Fine, do it or I won’t help you with your summative.” 

“You wouldn’t” 

“I might.” 

He groans, “Fine.” 

Allura claps her hands and grins, “Excellent, now that’s settled, go home, everyone. It’s been a long day.” 

They all hum in agreement and grab their tote bags (All matching shades of magenta, given to them by Altea two years ago) containing, in Keith’s case, worn out pointe shoes, a change of clothes, a water bottle, and a Bluetooth speaker. 

Lance stops him before he can head out the door, “Hey.” 

“Hey.” 

“Look, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve seen you try hip-hop, you _suck_ dude.” 

Keith cringes at the memory, surprised he even has it considering he had been next-level wasted, “Your point?”

Lance blinks, “Right. What I’m saying is, you’re not great at dancing outside of your style, and I get that, _boy_ do I get that. So I thought maybe before we’re in front of a bunch of people you’d want to practice the ballroom thing?” 

Keith tilts his head to the side, “Are you asking to give me ballroom lessons?” 

“Uh-” 

Keith doesn’t let him finish, “Yes, obviously I’ll need the practice.”

Lance seems to relax, which makes Keith wonder why he was so nervous in the first place. “Okay! Awesome, want to meet up in Studio A after classes tomorrow?” 

Keith shrugs, trying to seem as aloof as possible, “Sure, why not?” 

  
  
  
  
  



	2. blue subaru's and terrible first-impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you think Allura would fire me if I killed you?”, Keith groans 
> 
> Lance almost laughs, “You’d think after committing literal murder you’d have things on your mind besides, you know, your employment status.” 
> 
> “In this economy?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so for reference they're trying to learn the first routine in this video (Victor Fung & Anastasia Murayov) it looks simple but actually takes a while to learn if it's your first time doing ballroom: youtube.com/watch?v=kfbwEZ917yU

When Lance had met Keith, it had admittedly not been under the best circumstances. 

_“Hey, buddy, your boyfriend hit my rearview mirror and took off and holy shit is that a bat-”_

_Keith had frowned at the offending vehicle and barely gave Lance a second look. “Ex-boyfriend.”, he’d said, before smashing the window and booking it the fuck out of the parking lot._

They’d officially met two weeks later at Altea Dance when Allura had introduced Keith to the rest of the staff as the new ballet instructor as she was taking on a manager position and couldn’t teach classes anymore. 

_“Wait-You’re that guy who trashed your ex’s car!”_

_Keith had just blinked, “Who are you?”_

_“The name’s Lance.”_

The antagonism hadn’t started until later, two hours later, to be exact, when Lance accidentally grabbed Keith’s tote bag instead of his own, the resulting argument (With Lance refusing to give it back because, _“I’m pretty sure I grabbed my own bag, stay in your lane, new guy.”)_ had ended in a yelling match that had both of them storming off in opposite directions before they realized there was only one staircase. 

The next day, written across Keith’s tote bag in neat, slanted script was, _‘Not Lance’s’_

So yeah, nothing romantic about it. Really, it should have been a major red flag that Keith would, you know, smash a guys windshield. As far as first (Or, second) meetings go, it was bad. 

Still, watching Keith put his stupid mullet in a ponytail, Lance can’t help but imagine telling the story to a million strangers asking how they met, laughing like it was _fate_ or something, with Keith’s hand clasped in his own. 

“-God I can’t stand the parents sometimes and...Lance?”, Keith says, and Lance realizes, rather abruptly, that he had been speaking. 

“Yeah?” 

Keith rolls his eyes, “Nevermind, so, this is the starting position, right?”, he asks, putting a hand on Lance’s waist and grabbing his hand. 

“Not for you it’s not.”, Lance replies, moving Keith’s arm to his shoulder. 

“Excuse me?” 

Lance starts to move in a slow box-step, Keith following behind, surprisingly tentative for a seasoned dancer, “Well, I’m leading, and I’m taller so-” 

Keith scoffs, “Two and a half inches is _not-”_

“Someone’s counting.” 

“Do you think Allura would fire me if I killed you?”, Keith groans 

Lance almost laughs, “You’d think after committing literal murder you’d have things on your mind besides, you know, your employment status.” 

“In this economy?” 

Lance does his level best to move a little faster, so as not to be stationary at one point in the room, “And as we all know, dance teachers are rakeing in the dough, how’s that 401k going?” 

“You don’t even know what a 401k is.”

“I know we don’t have them.” 

There’s a lull in the conversation where they’re just dancing, Keith adjusting to the steps and Lance guiding them around the room, occasionally offering helpful advice like, _“If I wanted to dance with a literal board I would have gone to home depot.”_ and, _“Eyes off the ground or we’re gonna start doing lifts.”_

Keith breaks the silence after a minute, “That’s not why I do it anyway.” 

Lance, for the record, does not roll his eyes, “What? For the money? Yeah, dude, I figured.” 

“Me too, I mean, I’ve seen you with those kids.” 

Lance spins Keith out, “Jealous?”

He snaps back like a yo-yo, hand falling on Lance’s shoulder like it never left, “You wish.”

Lance raises an eyebrow, “Impressed?” 

“ _Intrigued.”_

“What if I said I didn’t believe you?” 

Keith shrugs, “Believe what you want.”, and then, “Fuck, I have a class in 20 minutes.” 

“I thought you were done teaching at-” 

He pulls away, “Not a dance class, a _class_ class. Shit, Montgomery is gonna kill me if I miss another lecture.” 

Lance shrugs, “It’s fine, we can do this another time, you free tomorrow night?” 

“Yes, sorry, honestly.” 

“Dude, it’s no problem.” 

Keith smiles distractedly, and Lance thanks god he doesn’t do it very often because his heart nearly gives out at the sight. 

Keith grabs his stuff and starts for the door, “Shit.” 

Lance turns, “What is it?” 

“My bike, it’s in the shop.” 

“How’d you get here then?” 

“Shiro, but he’s teaching a class right now and-” 

Lance cuts him off, “I’ll drive you.” 

“You don’t have to-” 

Lance just waves him off, “It’s not up for discussion, mullet. Now let’s go, you wanna make it on time we’re gonna have to pick up the pace-” 

“Lance, seriously-” 

“Shut up, I’m doing it. “ 

Keith mumbles a thank you and follows Lance to the parking lot where his faded blue Subaru is waiting. 

He’s suddenly, acutely, aware that Keith has never been in his car before. 

_Shit, I should’ve cleaned._

“What happened to your mirror?”, Keith asks, getting settled into the passenger seat.

“Huh, you really don’t remember.” 

Keith raises an eyebrow, “Remember what?” 

“Right. About two years ago some jackass hit my car and took off, but when I got there-” 

Keith’s eyes widen, “Holy fuck, that was _you_?” 

Lance nods, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. The silence that follows is more comfortable than anything else after their “rivalry” days had passed, they’d fallen into a tentative friendship. 

Lance supposes that’s a side effect of seeing someone every day, of working at the same dance studio and attending the same university, you get close. Of course, it had taken time, but Keith became fast friends with Hunk and Pidge, so Lance followed suit. The infatuation had become a problem much more recently, though Hunk insisted the whole rivalry Lance had insisted was real had simply been a thinly-veiled way of dealing with sexual tension. 

_Whatever._

“Sorry about that, by the way.”, Keith says, after a few minutes. 

“About what?” 

“The-uh...smashing a windshield, and not remembering you, I guess. I wasn’t at my best that day.” 

Lance snorts, “Yeah, I figured. What did that guy do, anyway?” 

Keith’s eyes seem to harden, “He was an asshole.” 

Lance hums, and tries desperately not to sound too invested, “That seems to be your type.” 

Keith side-eyes him, “What do you mean?” 

Shiro hated the guys Keith dated, they all knew that, and were subject to his constant bitching as a result. Though Keith never seemed to want to talk about his dating life (Which honestly, Lance was more than okay with) they’d all heard about his frankly, piss poor taste in men. 

“Just something Shiro said-” 

Keith groans, “Is this about Josh? He wasn’t a drug dealer! He was a _pharmacist_ ” 

“What kind of pharmacist operates out of a van, Keith?” 

“A practical one! Besides, like you’re one to talk.” 

“Excuse me?” 

Keith levels him with an unimpressed look, “Nyma.” 

Lance bristles at the name, “She was smart, funny-” 

“She robbed you and handcuffed you to a tree!” 

“We all have flaws.” 

Keith laughs, and Lance tries not to feel like he’s won some sort of prize, tries not to let it go to his head. _We’re just friends, this is what friends do. Relax._

“It’s just around this corner.”, Keith says after a minute. 

“I know what the English building looks like, I go here.” 

Keith rolls his eyes, “You’re a marine biology major.” 

“Doesn’t mean I’m _illiterate,_ the library is like, right there.” 

“I’ll believe it when I see it, McClain.” 

Lance gasps in mock offense, “How dare you-” 

Keith cuts him off, “Oh look! There it is.” 

“You can’t just imply that I can’t read and then-” 

Keith smiles, and it almost looks fond, “Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the ride.” 

“It’s no problem.” 

Keith waves while he drives off, and Lance has to will his stupid erratic heartbeat to slow down. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay sick, there's gonna be more with like, the whole group & possibly a groupchat chapter??? we'll see. 
> 
> thank you for reading! kudos and comments are appreciated!


	3. patrick swayze and alien hunting kits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with the group chat
> 
> (It's all the same chat they just change the name a lot)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should probably clarify that, a) Pidge and Matt grew up in the same town as Shiro and Keith, but went to a different school. and B) Hunk & Pidge live together

[ **Chat: Allura and her backup dancers- Lance, Shiro, Keith, Hunk, Pidge, Coran, Allura]**

**Lance: Okay fun question for the group: Keith won’t tell me who he was talking to outside the studio, any guesses?**

**Allura: I’m so happy we’re using this chat to discuss work matters**

**Lance: Last time I checked we all worked at the studio**

**Keith: Lance how many times do I have to tell you to leave it alone**

**Lance: One more. Pidge, guesses?**

**Pidge: Former nemesis?**

**Pidge: Oh! Fingerless glove salesmen?**

**Keith: I wore those ONE TIME**

**Allura: One time too many.**

**Lance: Hunk, guesses?**

**Hunk: I think we should respect Keith’s privacy.**

**Keith: THANK YOU** **  
  
**

**Hunk: But I’m with Pidge, fingerless glove salesman.**

**Keith: FUCK** **  
  
**

**Shiro: Language.**

**Keith: English.**

**Shiro: What’d he look like?**

**Lance: Short blonde hair, tall, kinda douchey looking.**

**Shiro: That’s James.**

**Keith: SHIRO**

**Pidge: Who’s James?**

**Keith: We went to high school together.**

**Hunk: Yikes.**

**Lance: I’ll bet you were like, a total high school bully, full-on Regina George.**

**Pidge: More like Janis.**

**Lance: NICE**

**Keith: Yes, at my high school in rural Texas, a gay Korean orphan was clearly on top of the social food chain.**

**Lance: Really?**

**Keith: NO**

**Lance: Who’s James then?**

**Lance: Oh my god is he YOUR high school bully? Does he want redemption? Did you throw a drink in his face?**

**Keith: Jesus Christ.**

**Shiro: Actually.**

**Keith: Shiro.**

**Pidge: Nice try, Keith, dad-voice doesn’t work for you.**

**Keith: Fuck.**

**Shiro: I’m not even gonna say it.**

**Allura: Language.**

**Lance: Thanks** **_mom_ **

**Allura: I’ll fire you so quick.**

**Keith: Please do it.**

**Lance: HEY**

**Shiro: Wasn’t James your date to homecoming Junior year?**

**Keith: Oh great, we’re still on this.**

**Lance: Oh my god he’s your highschool sweetheart**

**Keith: He’s straight, so no.**

**Pidge:** **_Was_ ** **straight, did you guys see that beanie?**

**Keith: Oh my fucking god.**

**Shiro: No he’s straight, still lives in Texas too.**

**Keith: Wait- How do you know that?**

**Shiro: I’m facebook friends with his girlfriend**

**Lance: You still have FACEBOOK?**

**Hunk: Hey! I have facebook!**

**Lance: I love you despite this.**

**Pidge: If he wasn’t your highschool sweetheart why’d you go to homecoming together?**

**Keith: FINE** **  
  
**

**Keith: But none of you get to be all, “Awe that’s so sad” and feel sorry for me OKAY?**

**Pidge: Deal.**

**Lance: Deal.**

**Shiro: I mean I already know, but sure.**

**Allura: Deal.**

**Hunk: No promises.**

**Keith: Okay**

**Keith: So it was a prank like, “Haha let's take the gay kid to homecoming and see if he thinks I actually like him.”**

**Keith: It sucked, but it was like, 3 years ago.**

**Hunk: Can I hug you?**

**Lance: Jesus Christ.**

**Pidge: That fucking sucks, dude.**

**Allura: God I hate Texas.**

**Keith: You’ve never been to Texas.**

**Allura: I hate it on principle.**

**Keith: Anyway, he’s in town for a real estate conference and his little brother just came out so he wanted to apologize.**

**Lance: I hope you told him where to shove his apology.**

**Shiro: Lance.**

**Lance: What? The guy’s a douchebag.**

**Shiro: Fair point.**

**Keith: Nah, I forgave him.**

**Pidge: And by forgave you mean, “Punched his lights out”?**

**Keith: I don’t solve EVERYTHING with violence.**

**Shiro: I’d like to put forward that that is a fucking lie.**

**Lance: DAD SWORE**

**Shiro: Never call me that again.**

**Hunk: Dad**

**Pidge: Dad**

**Allura: Dad**

**Keith: Yeah no**

**Coran: I’ll pass as well.**

**Lance: CORAN** **  
  
**

**Lance: WHEN DID YOU GET HERE**

**Coran: I’ve been here for quite some time.**

**Pidge: Ominous as fuck.**

**Coran: I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, number five**

**Pidge: Again with the height rankings?**

**Keith: They’re height rankings?**

**Hunk: Yeah dude? What did you think it was?**

**Keith: Just random numbers????**

**Pidge: Why would he assign us just random numbers?**

**Keith: Right, because THAT would be weirder than ranking us according to height.**

**Coran:...Moving on, I just wanted to remind you that 3 of you have a class starting in 20 minutes.**

**Hunk: SHIT**

**Lance: FUCK** **  
  
**

**Shiro: Lance, language.**

**Lance: How come Hunk gets to do it?**

**Shiro: Suddenly I can’t read.**

**Lance: OH COME ON**

**\-----**

**[Chat: Altea’s finest- Pidge, Keith, Allura, Shiro, Lance, Hunk, Coran]**

**Pidge: I’m just saying that like, theoretically, your type** **_should_ ** **be skater boys.**

**Keith: Excuse me?**

**Pidge: Avril Lavigne.**

**Keith: ????** **  
  
**

**Pidge: Skater boy**

**Keith: ???????**

**Pidge: “He was a punk, she did ballet, what more can I say?”**

**Keith: What are you talking about?**

**Pidge: Holy shit.**

**Lance: HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD SKATER BOY BY AVRIL LAVIGNE?** **  
  
**

**Keith: Aren’t you in class right now?**

**Lance: The ocean can wait.**

**Pidge: But you’re gay????** **  
  
**

**Keith: And?**

**Pidge: You choreographed a routine to hit me baby one more time!**

**Keith: Who the fuck told you about that?**

**Keith: I was experimenting with different dance styles!**

**Keith: SHIRO**

**Shiro: I’d like to put forward that it wasn’t me, but that WAS a good routine.**

**Keith: It was Matt wasn’t it**

**Pidge: PLEASE don’t murder my brother**

**Keith: I didn’t say anything about murder**

**Pidge: You have a knife collection, you didn’t have to.**

**Keith: What does this have to do with the skater song anyway?**

**Hunk: YOU’VE NEVER HEARD SKATER BOY?**

**Pidge: There he is.**

**Keith: Is it like, a gay thing?**

**Pidge: It’s an integral part of the human experience so, no. Not a gay thing.**

**Pidge: I’m begging you to listen to it right now.**

**Pidge: Please, Keith. For the sake of our friendship.**

**Keith: Jesus, fine.**

**Allura: I’m sorry, WHAT?**

**Pidge: Scroll up, Princess.**

**Allura: Hit me baby one more time?**

**Allura: Pidge send the video**

**Pidge: Bold of you to assume I have it,**

**Allura: Do you?**

**Pidge: Yes.**

**Pidge: But I value my life.**

**Shiro: I don’t**

**Shiro: [VIDEO_hitmebabyonemoretime/dontkillmeforthis]**

**Lance: ASKSNKJDBKWDBOD** **  
  
**

**Lance: WHAT**

**Pidge: Dude, you broke him.**

**Hunk: Wait, that's actually good?**

**Allura: Yeah.**

**Keith: What’s good?**

**Pidge: Don’t scroll up.**

**Keith: SHIRO**

**Pidge: Thoughts on skater boy?**

**Keith: Don’t distract me.**

**Keith: Okay you know what?**

**Shiro: Oh no.**

**Keith: [VIDEO_umbrellafreestyle/fuckyoushiro]**

**Lance: This is the best day of my life.**

**Keith: Fuck off.**

**Allura: That one is??? Also good???**

**Hunk: The broganes really turned it out huh**

**Shiro: Broganes?**

**Pidge: You & Keith, Shirogane, Kogane….Brogane**

**Allura: Cute.**

**Keith: Who??? Calls us that????**

**Pidge: Calm down, Britney, it’s just us.**

**Keith: Okay that nickname is NOT sticking.**

**Allura: I wonder if anyone will ever use this group chat for work purposes**

**Lance: Keep dreaming**

**\-----**

**[Chat: The Broganes breakdown- Keith, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Shiro, Allura, Coran]**

**Britney: Okay who changed my fucking name.**

**Pidge: ...**

**\-----**

**[Chat: PLEASE stop calling Shiro dad while he’s teaching it confuses the students- Lance, Allura, Keith, Pidge, Hunk, Coran, Shiro]**

**Allura: Question for the class**

**Allura: Who left their tote bag in studio B?**

**Lance: Not me.**

**Keith: I mean, I think mine’s pretty recognizable.**

**Pidge: Oh my god yeah I remember that.**

**Allura: What?**

**Pidge: It has ‘not Lance’s’ written on it lol**

**Lance: Hilarious.**

**Allura: So whose is it? It keeps beeping and glowing green.**

**Hunk: Uh oh**

**Pidge: That might be mine**

**Allura: Pidge, what is in this bag?**

**Pidge: DON’T OPEN IT** **  
  
**

**Pidge: I mean, uh, don’t open it, I’m on my way to the studio now.**

**Keith: Pidge, is it the thing?**

**Pidge: YES** **  
  
**

**Lance: I’m lost**

**Allura: Me too.**

**Shiro: What’s going on here?**

**Pidge: NOTHING**

**Hunk: Pidge left her alien-hunting kit at the studio**

**Pidge: HUNK** **  
  
**

**Allura: That’s….something.**

**Shiro: Oh god not this again.**

**Lance: Again?**

**Keith: Shiro.**

**Shiro: When Pidge and Keith were in high school they’d always be in the woods searching for cryptids until 3 in the morning, nearly gave me a heart attack.**

**Pidge: SHIRO**

**Lance: You guys are CONSPIRACY THEORISTS?**

**Keith: It’s not a conspiracy if it’s true!**

**Pidge: You’re a marine biology major! Your whole thing is conspiracy!**

**Lance: You know it’s called a hypothesis. I can’t believe this**

**Hunk: I can, Pidge has been sitting on the roof of our building with that thing for nearly two years now.**

**Pidge: Don’t tell them our roommate secrets!**

**Hunk: I wasn’t aware we had those.**

**Pidge: Hunk stress bakes cinnamon buns at 2am!**

**Hunk: PIDGE**

**Keith: That’s actually kind of….**

**Lance: Cute?**

**Keith: Yeah.**

**Shiro: Did they just LITERALLY finish each other's sentences?**

**Keith: Oh, fuck off.**

**Allura: AWE**

**Lance: ...Okay.**

**Lance: As deeply enlightening as this has been, I have to go shape the minds of tomorrow.**

**Pidge: Just say you have the junior classes**

**Lance: No can do, pidgeon, later.**

**Allura: Pidge? Is this bag going to explode?**

**Pidge: NO** **  
  
**

**Allura: Please get this out of my studio**

**Pidge: I’m omw, don’t worry.**

**\----**

**[Chat: Did the studio explode?- Pidge, Hunk, Coran, Shiro, Allura, Lance, Keith]**

**Keith: Tell Lance I’m the Patrick Swayze of this situation.**

**Pidge: What situation?**

**Keith: Just say it.**

**Pidge: Keith is the Patrick Swayze, Lance.**

**Lance: LIES**

**Lance: I’m teaching HIM ballroom**

**Pidge: So?**

**Allura: Are we talking about dirty dancing again?**

**Lance: YES** **  
  
**

**Allura: But you’re always saying he has a mullet?**

**Keith: HA** **  
  
**

**Lance: PATRICK SWAYZE DIDN’T HAVE A MULLET**

**Pidge: Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt**

**Hunk: That pun comes across better verbally**

**Pidge: Yeah, but it still applies.**

**Shiro: Keith, you’re the Jennifer Grey.**

**Keith: WHAT?** **  
  
**

**Lance: THANK YOU**

**Shiro: Think about it, standoffish, aggressive, antagonizes his siblings.**

**Keith: I don’t have a brother anymore, I’m disowning you.**

**Allura: I actually get it now.**

**Keith: Not you too!**

**Lance: Sorry, baby.**

**Pidge: …**

**Hunk: …**

**Allura: …**

**Shiro: …**

**Lance: COME ON guys that’s what they call her in the movie!**

**Pidge: ;)**

**Lance: UGH**

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! I liked writing this one! Leave kudos and comments if you want & have a nice day! 
> 
> Reference for Keith's Hit Me Baby One More Time dance: youtube.com/watch?v=zslNTqK7iAA
> 
> Reference for Shiro's Umbrella Dance: youtube.com/watch?v=tmmzwq-wbpk


	4. proposals and frozen blueberries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We’re gonna be fine, honestly I’m surprised at how quickly you’ve been picking up the steps.” 
> 
> Keith smirks, “That’s a miracle considering my horrible teacher.” 
> 
> “Horribly handsome”, Lance replies, almost on autopilot. 
> 
> “That doesn’t even make sense!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should also probably clarify that Keith and Allura live together in this (For convenience because the studio & University are close to their apartment and Allura is a TA) 
> 
> I know this one is a little all over the place but ya know, I'm doing my best.

Keith rolls his eyes at his phone, “Whatever! They’re wrong.” 

Lance grins, “Okay, baby.” 

“Stop that.” 

He raises an eyebrow, “Stop what?” 

“Lance.” 

“Putting you in a corner? Because nobody puts baby in a-” 

“Shut up!”, Keith growls, pushing off the wall he’d been leaning against. 

Lance tries and fails to stop laughing. “Okay, fine. But we really do need to get some practice in.” 

Keith reluctantly puts a hand on Lance’s shoulder as they move through the now-familiar steps. 

Lance is still surprised Keith is letting him do this, to be honest, touch him in a way that isn’t  _ strictly business _ . He’d always seemed pretty adverse to physical contact, which was fine, Lance wasn’t a creep and it wasn’ like he went out of his way to make people uncomfortable. But now Keith seems almost...relaxed? Allowing Lance to guide him through spins and occasionally lifts. 

But this, Lance supposes, comes with the territory of being a dancer, you get used to being spun around a bit. (He tries not to let this rationalization dampen his spirits too much) 

“Only a week til the workshop.”, Keith muses. 

Lance nods, they’d been meeting up for rehearsals every day after classes were over and were honestly probably overdoing it with the preparation. 

(But, well, Lance was human, and an opportunity to dance with the guy you like is pretty freaking hard to pass up.)

“We’re gonna be fine, honestly I’m surprised at how quickly you’ve been picking up the steps.” 

Keith smirks, “That’s a miracle considering my horrible teacher.” 

“Horribly handsome”, Lance replies, almost on autopilot. 

“That doesn’t even make sense!” 

Lance just grins, “I’m probably the best ballroom teacher out there, one of the greats even-” 

“Don’t let it go to your head, I’m a quick learner.” 

He raises an eyebrow, “Oh really?” 

“ _ Yes,  _ as a matter a fact-”, Lance drops Keith into a dramatic dip, “I-uh...am.” 

The smile doesn’t leave Lance’s face as he maneuvers them back into the standard position, “You sure about that?” 

“That wasn’t even part of the routine!” 

Lance shrugs, “Gotta be adaptable to change, roll with the punches and all of that.” 

There’s a moment of comfortable silence. 

Keith breaks it, “How’d you learn to do this anyway?” 

“My mom made me take classes when I was a kid, she thought it would help me focus all my energy towards something productive.” 

“Ballroom?” 

Lance shrugs, “Dance, in general, I guess. The ballroom classes came later when I was being a dick about my sister wanting to take them.” 

Keith nods, eyes fixed at a spot over Lance’s shoulder, trying not to get dizzy. 

“How about you?”, Lance asks after a minute. 

“Oh. I mean, I started out pretty young. But after my mom-”, there’s a long silence, “anyway, the studio let me keep taking classes there even after we stopped paying, which was nice, and I kept winning competitions.”

“Hold up, were you like a dance prodigy?” 

“Something like that.” 

Lance pauses for a second, “This is...nice.”

Keith raises an eyebrow. “What?” 

“I don’t know, talking to each other without fighting?” 

“We talk to each other all the time.” 

Lance practically rolls his eyes,  _ do I have to spell everything out for him?  _ “ _ Now  _ we do. You used to hate me.” 

Keith bristles, “I never hated you!” 

Lance blinks, “Oh.” 

Keith shakes his head, “I mean, I thought you were obnoxious.” 

“Thanks.” 

“But I didn’t  _ hate  _ you.” 

“Well...I guess I never hated you either.” 

Keith nods, refusing to look Lance in the eye, “Good.”

“Fine.”

“Excellent.” 

“Amazing-”, Lance is cut off, rather abruptly, by someone tackling him to the floor, Keith stumbling backward as a result. “Pidge!” 

She smiles, “Yes?” 

Lance sputters, “You can’t just tackle people! I’m a dancer! My body is my instrument!” 

She rolls her eyes, “Okay, drama queen, I just wanted to let you guys know that Adam’s back.” 

Keith brightens immediately, “Adam’s back?” 

Lance sits up, “Shiro’s Adam?” 

Pidge groans, “Which other Adam would I be talking about?” 

Lance ruffles her hair, “It’s a pretty common name.” 

“Whatever, he’s in the lobby with Allura if you wanna say hi.” 

When they all get back to the lobby, it’s a lot to process, Allura is standing by the front desk, hand covering her mouth and eyes wide, Hunk in a similar position, and Adam and Shiro are standing in the doorway, holding each other like the world is ending and crying and-

“I missed it?”, Keith asks loudly. And then Lance sees it, a shiny gold band on Adam’s ring finger. 

“Don’t worry, I took pictures.”, Allura replies, looking close to tears herself. 

A pause, and then.

“Holy shit! Congrats!” 

“I thought he’d never do it!” 

“Someone has to tell Coran!” 

“On it!” 

“Oh my god, you guys!” 

Shiro and Adam just stand in the doorway, looking a little bit like they’ve been struck by lightning, eyes still a little glassy, giving genuine thank-yous but still looking like they’d rather be left alone than anything else. 

Eventually, everyone takes the hint and goes about the rest of the day, it passes in a blur for Lance, but a happy blur of talking about dates and wedding cakes and “Do you think we could convince Pidge to be the flower girl?” 

\----

**[Chat: So do we call both of them Shiro now? - Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Keith, Allura, Shiro, Coran]**

**Shiro: Very funny, guys.**

**Keith: I mean Shirogane is your last name so**

**Shiro: Keith I will disown you**

**Pidge: I don’t think that’s how siblings work**

**Lance: GUYS** **  
  
**

**Lance: We have to add Adam to the chat**

**Allura: Why?**

**Lance: Well, he technically works at the studio now, at least for a couple of weeks, so there’s that.**

**Hunk: Yeah, because we use this chat for** **_work purposes only_ **

**Lance: Yes, exactly, thank you, Hunk.**

**Lance: ALSO, he’ll be able to see my hilarious wedding based jokes**

**Keith: Shiro, if you love him you won’t add him**

**Lance: HEY**

**Allura: You’ve made some good points.**

**Shiro: Do I get a say?**

**Allura: Not really.**

**[** **_Allura_ ** **added** **_Adam_ ** **to Chat: Do we call both of them Shiro now?]**

**[** **_Adam_ ** **changed chat name: Yes.]**

**Lance: Oh FUCK yeah.**

**Adam: Language.**

**Pidge: You two deserve each other, honestly.**

**Shiro: Thank you?**

**Adam: Thanks <3**

**Keith: Gross**

**Pidge: Seconded.**

**Hunk: So should we add Shay too? I know she’s not teaching right now but she technically works here.**

**Lance: Oh? You want to add Shay? What a surprise ;)**

**Keith: Very subtle**

**Shiro: Broadway Shay?**

**Pidge: Aka the personification of goodness and light, yes.**

**Allura: Sure!**

**[** **_Allura_ ** **added** **_Shay_ ** **to Chat: Yes.]**

**Shay: Hi everyone!**

**Pidge: Hey!**

**Keith: Hi Shay!**

**Lance: Hi!**

**Hunk: Heyyy**

**Lance: Smooth.**

**Shay: So what’s going on here?**

**Allura: Shiro and Adam got engaged!**

**Shay: Oh! Congrats you guys!**

**Shiro: Thank you!**

**Shiro 2: Thanks!**

**Shiro 2: Who changed my name?**

**Pidge: ….**

**Keith: It’s her thing, don’t worry about it.**

**Shiro: Pidge.**

**Lance: Oh no, he’s using DAD voice.**

**Shiro: Change his name back.**

**Pidge: UGH fine.**

**Adam: Great! So we wanted to ask all of you something.**

**Shiro: We’re having an engagement party next weekend and all of you are invited, it’ll start at 7, RSVP if you can come.**

**Keith: Okay how is that the first time I’m hearing about this.**

**Lance: Sounds great!**

**Pidge: I’ll be there!**

**Hunk: Awesome!**

**Allura: I mean I helped you pick the date, so I can come!**

**Coran: Wonderful**

**Shay: I’ll check my calendar!**

**Adam: Great!**

**Keith: Allura did you stress eat all the frozen blueberries again?**

**Allura: I’m so glad we’re having this conversation in the group chat when you’re literally in the room next to mine.**

**Keith: I’m tired. Did you?**

**Allura:...yes**

**Lance: Oooooo roommate drama**

**Pidge: fight fight fight fight**

**Allura: No, I would kick his ass and I don’t think the studio could handle losing another instructor.**

**Keith: EXCUSE ME?**

**Shiro: Allura would win in a fight.**

**Keith: To think, my own flesh and blood siding against me.**

**Shiro: You’re adopted.**

**Pidge: God, you’re almost as dramatic as Lance sometimes.**

**Keith: Take that back.**

**Pidge: I think Keith would win though.**

**Allura: WHAT?**

**Keith: THANK YOU PIDGE**

\----

Lance puts his phone down on his kitchen table, laughing at his friend's antics a little under his breath. His roommates had been out of town all weekend, so the apartment was eerily empty. 

Lance pours himself a cup of tea and puts on his favorite rom-com (So what if it was Dirty Dancing? Keith didn’t need to know that.) and tries not to think about boys with indigo eyes and dizzying smiles. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Kudos & comments are appreciated!


	5. neuroscientists and bolero music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this one is like, a little longer. (Also Allura is a lesbian, in case that isn't clear, I added the tag.) (I actually added a ton of tags, check it out) 
> 
> (Also the author is Cuban and while salsa dancing is fun and sexy to write, in my personal experience Bolero is more culturally significant.)

The workshop had passed in a blur of classes, wedding planning, and exam prep. Keith hadn’t been particularly excited to do it but hey, it brought attention to the studio and got them a few good reviews, and that was enough. 

(It was in no way a bonus that the person he had been dancing with was Lance, shut up.) 

After winter break had started and classes at the studio had been closed, Keith had come to a different conclusion. Parties fucking suck. 

He groans, “Do you think they’d buy it if I said I was sick?” 

Allura steps into the living room, looking like some kind of ethereal goddess in her blue dress, “It’s your brother's engagement party, Keith. You’re going.”, She paused, “What are you wearing?” 

He raises an eyebrow, “Uh...this?” 

“Trick question, go change.” 

He sighs, “Into  _ what _ ?” 

Allura frowns, “God, I don’t know, aren’t you supposed to be good at this?” 

“Was that  _ homophobic _ ?” 

She crosses her arms, “You asked me last week if I had a flannel you could borrow.” 

“Did you?” 

There’s a pause before she replies, “Yes. Besides the point, go change.” 

“Again, into what?” 

Allura rolls her eyes, pushing past the door and into his bedroom, “Can I look through your closet?”, she asks, but it’s not a question. He nods anyway. 

“So.”, she starts, still sorting through clothes, “Have you thought about who you’re taking to the wedding?” 

He shrugs, “Not really, I mean, I’m the best man, so it’s not like I’ll be bored or anything during the reception.” 

“So?” 

“So I’ll probably go alone.” 

Allura looks scandalized, “Oh absolutely not.” 

“What?” 

She starts, “Keith, baby, honey, sweet innocent summer child-” 

“Stop.” 

“You can’t go  _ alone  _ to your brother's wedding, that’s the beginning of a very sad lifetime movie.”, She says, throwing him a red button-up, “Put this on.” 

He complies, tucking the shirt into his black dress pants, “This good?” 

Allura nods, “You look hot, one more thing.”, she throws him a hair tie, “It looks cute in a ponytail.” 

And, well, he’s not exactly in a position to disagree with her. 

They’d agreed to bring a bottle of wine because neither of them had ever really been to a fancy adult party, but it seemed like the right call. It’s not until they’re halfway out the door that he asks her, “Wait, who are you bringing?” 

She flushes, “I mean, no one, officially, but I was thinking Romelle.” 

“Romelle the barista?” 

She looks to the side, “Among other things.”

He nods, he’d known Allura didn’t like the coffee at the place across the street as much as she’d liked the barista. 

They decide to walk to Shiro and Adams, it’s only a few blocks away. 

After a minute, Allura breaks the silence, “Have you thought about asking Lance?” 

“I already told you, it’s not like that-” 

“Yes, but you want it to be like that.” 

He pauses, not quite sure what to respond to that. “Well, _he_ doesn’t so-” 

“You don’t know until you ask him.” 

Keith rolls his eyes, “If Lance wanted to make a move, he would have, it’s not like he hasn’t flirted with every person in the city anyway.” 

Allura gives him a  _ look.  _ “Or maybe  _ you  _ could make the first move? Ever think of that?” 

He shoves her lightly, “As a matter a fact, I hadn’t.”, and then, “Could we drop this?” 

She shrugs, “Consider it dropped.” 

Adam and Shiro greet them the second they come in, looking stressed. Keith feels a pang of sympathy for his brother, not exactly the party type. 

The party itself though, is relatively quiet, a lot of Adam’s college friends and Shiro’s old co-workers. Some of them Keith recognizes, all of them try to talk to Allura, and he almost laughs when she’s brushing off the fifth ( _ 5th)  _ Neuroscientist trying to get her a drink. 

And of course, everyone from Altea dance is there, looking considerably dressed up (Possibly because Keith has only seen most of them when they’re getting ready to teach a dance class, which is to say,  _ very  _ casual) and a little out of place. 

When Allura spots the group sequestered by the drink table in the kitchen, she practically throws herself into Pidge’s arms, “These men are  _ insatiable”  _

Pidge just laughs, clearly faltering under the weight of her much taller friend, “Can’t say I can relate, princess. So how many is it now?” 

Allura groans, but Keith replies easily, “Five since we came in, but that guy over there has been staring for a few minutes, so I’m guessing it’ll be six soon.” 

Hunk smiles sympathetically and Allura just sighs. 

“So where’s Lance?”, Keith asks after a minute, trying desperately to seem casual. Judging by the way Pidge raises her eyebrow, it doesn’t work. 

Hunk replies, “Over by the snack table charming some science nerds, you know how he is at stuff like this.” 

_“Stuff like this”_ being parties, something none of the rest of the team were particularly skilled in, except, in most circumstances, Allura. 

Lance is, in fact, charming some science nerds. And getting charmed right back, if the loud laugh coming from the table at something a woman in a tight purple dress has said is anything to go by. Keith forces down a sharp pang of jealousy. 

His thoughts are interrupted by the clink of metal on glass as Adam tries to get the attention of the room, everyone falls silent.

Adam clears his throat, “Hi everyone! Thank you so much for coming, my  _ fianc _ _ é-”  _ the word is drenched in some emotion Keith can’t quite place, “-And I are so glad you could all make it, there’s beer in the fridge, enjoy yourselves!” 

The quiet breaks and Allura goes pale as the man who’s been watching them since they’d arrived makes a beeline for the drinks table, she leans over and whispers to Keith, “I’ll be in the bathroom for the rest of forever, if Shiro asks where I went, tell him I died tragically.” 

Keith rolls his eyes, “How do you wanna go this time, train wreck? Hunting accident?” 

“Assassinated by a spurned lover.”, she replies without a second of pause, before leaving the room as fast as she possibly can without running. 

Pidge sighs, “You know I feel kind of bad for her.” 

Keith hums in agreement. 

The man Allura had been avoiding approaches the table anyway, pouring himself a rum and coke ( _ ew _ ) and looking at Keith appraisingly. “So how do you know the couple?”, he asks after a minute. 

“Oh, Shiro’s my brother, and I’ve worked with Adam for years.”, he replies quickly. 

The man nods, “So you’re  _ that  _ Keith.” 

Having no clue what that means, Keith figures the polite thing to do is hold a conversation, “How about you?”

“Shiro and I worked together for years at Balmera coffee, he mentioned you a few times.” 

Keith nods, “I didn’t catch your name?” 

“Louis.”,The man responds easily. 

Keith vaguely remembers Shiro mentioning a co-worker with that name, but then again, it had been a long time ago. 

There’s a stretch of not so comfortable silence before the man,  _ Louis,  _ asks, “So, can I get you a drink?” 

Keith nods and registers absently that Hunk and Pidge have wandered into the living room. 

“So what do you do?”

Keith blinks, “I’m a dance instructor at Altea. You?” 

Louis looks a little shocked, Keith can’t blame him, he didn’t exactly fit the dance teacher mold, “I still work at Balmera, I’m the manager there now.” 

He hands Keith a beer from the fridge, which,  _ gross.  _ But he takes a sip anyway to be polite. 

They exchange polite but boring conversation for a few minutes before Louis asks, “So sorry if this seems too forward, but are you gay?” 

Keith stills. 

The other man backtracks a little, “Because I don’t want to make a straight guy uncomfortable by like-” 

Keith cuts him off, “Yes, I am. Sorry, you caught me by surprise.” 

Louis looks relieved, but before he can say anything else, Lance appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and puts an arm around Keith’s shoulder, smiling but something unfamiliar in his expression, “Hey.” 

Keith turns, “Hey, what’s up?”

Lance shrugs, “Not a lot, Adam has a  _ ton  _ of nerdy friends.” 

“Like you haven’t  _ memorized  _ all the lines in all the Star Wars movies-” 

“Okay, first of all, that is a different kind of nerd-” 

Keith vaguely registers Louis saying, “I’m gonna go now.”, and heading off. 

“How exactly is it different?”, Keith asks, raising an eyebrow. 

Lance starts, “Because one is….Okay fine.” 

“What’s all this about?”, Keith asks, gesturing to the arm still wound around his shoulder. 

That strange look from earlier makes it back onto Lance’s face before he pulls his arm back like it’s been burned. Which,  _ ouch.  _ “Nothing, I mean...you weren’t into that guy right?” 

Keith blinks, “Not really.” 

Lance grins, “Right, so just bros helping bros avoid rejecting someone at their brother’s engagement party.” 

Keith rolls his eyes, “I could’ve handled it.” 

“Dude, I know. But what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help, you know?” 

Keith considers this, “A shitty one?” 

“Right.”, he grabs Keith’s arm, “Come on, we’re all playing charades in the living room and Pidge is about one second away from murdering Allura for her terrible miming skills.” 

Keith allows himself to be pulled into the next room, not quite prepared for the chaos that’s waiting for him. 

\---

The only people who stay to clean up after the party are Keith, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, and Allura. Which is to say, they don’t so much clean up as they impede Shiro and Adam’s ability to do so by dragging them into impromptu dance routines. 

Shiro resists at first (Adam doesn’t even put up a fight), but gives in when Allura puts on hits from the early 2000s. 

_ (In the end, Ke$ha got him) _

Allura is laughing through  _ Toxic  _ and says, “Okay, I have to know, as your friend and employer, what’s the most out-there song you’ve ever choreographed something to?” 

Pidge replies with zero hesitation, “All-Star by Smashmouth, but the 10-hour version.” 

Hunk, who was now laying on the floor, says, “You don’t know you’re beautiful by 1D, except the one where they’re not singing just laughing in the beginning.”

Adam almost kneels over laughing. 

Keith shrugs, “Probably Hit Me Baby One More Time.” 

Lance’s face seems to go scarlet for no reason, “I forgot about that.” 

Before Keith can bug him about it, Shiro speaks up, “Friday by Rebecca Black.” 

“A classic!”, Lance shouts over the music, which has switched from Toxic to Want U Back. “But I’ve got you all beat.” 

Keith leans against the wall, “Oh really?” 

Lance pouts, and Keith does his level best not to find it adorable, “Yes, really, the Mii theme song.” 

There’s a pause, and then everyone speaking at once. 

“How did you-” 

“Why-” 

“Dude.” 

Lance just brushes them off, throwing some empty beer cans into the garbage bag in his hand. 

The night gets later and the songs get slower as everyone starts to  _ actually  _ help clean up, leaving one by one. 

Hunk and Pidge leave first, Pidge has an 8 am lecture the next day and they drove together. 

Then it’s just Allura, Keith, and Lance helping out. 

A song with a familiar beat comes on one of the many playlists they’ve circulated throughout the night. Keith hums along a little from his position on the floor, and Lance whips around to stare at him. 

Keith sighs, “What?” 

Lance gestures wildly, “This is Bolero music!” 

“Yes?” 

Lance looks at Keith like he’s grown a second head, “How do you know it?”

“I grew up in El Paso?” 

Lance raises an eyebrow, “You know how to Bolero?” 

“ _ Yes.”  _

Lance’s expression shifts from stunned to determined, eyebrows knitted together, “Get up.” 

“What?”, Keith replies before he’s unceremoniously hauled to his feet by the boy in question. 

Keith looks around at Shiro, Adam, and Allura for help, but they all just look a little amused,  _ assholes.  _

“We’re doing it.”, Lance says, not asking before dragging Keith into the starting position. 

Keith drags his feet, “Why?” 

Lance’s grin takes a bit of a pained edge,  _ that’s new.  _ “We...don’t have to or anything, it’s just something I picked up back in Varadero and…”, he trails off, but he doesn’t have to finish. 

Anyone within a ten-mile radius could tell you Lance is homesick, which is why Keith (only somewhat reluctantly) replies with, “Fine.” 

Lance’s smile is blinding.

It takes a few seconds of awkward fumbling, but the rhythm is quick and easy to fall into. After a minute, Lance whispers, “I kind of can’t believe you’re letting me lead right now.” 

Keith huffs a laugh, “Don’t test your luck, McClain.” 

Lance stays uncharacteristically silent, the smile never quite leaving his face. 

When the song ends, they stay like that for a moment, so close Keith can feel Lance’s breath on his neck and-

_ There are 3 other people in the room.  _

Keith steps back quickly, face burning. And Allura clears her throat, smirking, “Well, as lovely as this was, we should be going, I’ve got a lunch date tomorrow. Keith?” 

He nods, almost grateful for the out, “Yeah I’ve-uh-...got a thing too, thanks guys, seriously great party.” 

Shiro and Adam crush him in a hug that leaves him almost positive a few ribs are broken before setting him down. Shiro ruffles his hair, “Get some sleep, kid.” 

Keith groans, “You’re only five years older than me.” 

Shiro just grins. 

And then there’s-

_ Don’t make it weird, just make eye contact, and say something, just don’t be weird- _

“Bye, Lance.”, he says. 

_ Abort, abort, that came out WAY softer than intended and- _

“Bye, Keith.”, Lance replies, tone equally subdued. He’s sure he doesn’t imagine it by the way Allura’s smirk grows wider and Shiro and Adam exchange a stupidly knowing glance. 

He grabs Allura’s arm, “Right, well, goodnight everyone!”

She laughs at him the entire way home, snowflakes stinging his flaming cheeks. But if it made Lance a little less homesick, he could deal with all the teasing in the world. 

And then he realizes something, because he’s not an idiot. 

Because he knows there’s a word for wanting someone to be happy more than you want to be and-

_ Oh no.  _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bolero dance, in case you wanna check it out: youtube.com/watch?v=4rDOMfU5vtI
> 
> The 1D song Hunk is talking about (I lost my shit the first time I heard it): youtube.com/watch?v=kGGViLwHEUk
> 
> Thank you for reading! kudos and comments are immensely appreciated.


	6. double-shots and bioluminescence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, right. It was something dumb.”, he finishes lamely, eyes suddenly drawn to the laptop bag Keith had brought with him, “What about you? Any essays to write?” 
> 
> Keith shrugs, “Just one, but it’s Pride and Prejudice.” 
> 
> “Like the movie with Keira Knightley?” 
> 
> Keith just gives him a flat stare. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not gonna lie, this is a filler chapter because I wanted to write a coffee shop scene. Hope y'all like it anyway!
> 
> alternate chapter title: yes the author actually fucking googled themes of pride and prejudice and bioluminescence in fish, what about it?

**[Chat: Shut up Shiro you’re not my real dad -Hunk, Pidge, Keith, Lance, Allura, Shiro, Shay, Coran, Adam]**

**Allura: Does anyone know where I could find my lovable but incredibly dumb roommate?**

**Hunk: No clue, I haven’t seen him today.**

**Shiro: What’d he do this time?**

**Allura: Something awful and unforgivable.**

**Shiro: So he tried cooking again?**

**Allura: ...Yeah.**

**Pidge: Huh, weird, I haven’t seen Lance all day either.**

**Pidge: And by weird I mean they’re definitely boning.**

**Shiro: Pidge.**

**Lance: DUDE**

**Pidge: Yes?**

**Lance: You are an agent of chaos.**

**Pidge: So I’ve been told.**

**Shay: I haven’t seen Keith either.**

**Hunk: You live in a different state.**

**Shay: I can dream, Hunk.**

**Keith: Okay, first of all, fuck you guys.**

**Allura: How did you burn WATER?**

**Keith: Didn’t Pidge say something about not airing out roommate drama in the chat?**

**Allura: Oh? So Pidge is right about everything now?**

**Lance: SHE IS NOT**

**Keith: Did I miss something?**

**Hunk: Scroll up, buddy.**

**Keith: PIDGE**

**Pidge: All fax no printer.**

**Allura: Jesus**

**Allura: Seriously though, where’d you go?**

**Keith: It’s Sunday.**

**Allura: Yeah?**

**Keith: I teach a yoga class at the Y on Sundays.**

**Allura: OH YEAH**

**Keith: One of these days, I’m just gonna go missing.**

**Lance: We can dream.**

**Keith: Go to hell.**

**Pidge: ENOUGH flirting in the work gc**

**Lance: I was NOT**

**Keith: He wishes.**

**Shiro: ANYWAY**

**Shiro: Adam has a conference in Vermont, so I thought you guys could come over for like, a wedding-planning party?**

**Pidge: Dear god not more neuroscientists.**

**Adam: HEY** **  
  
**

**Pidge: Shouldn’t you be working.**

**Adam:...No comment.**

**Allura: I love wedding planning.**

**Keith: You should see her Pinterest boards**

**Lance: You should see MY Pinterest boards, I’m in.**

**Shiro: Great!**

**Hunk: For sure! I can even make like, a mock wedding cake if you guys want?**

**Adam: YES**

**Shiro: You won’t even be there**

**Adam: Counterpoint, I love you and if only one of us can experience Hunk’s cake, I’m willing to make that sacrifice**

**Keith: Gross**

**Pidge: If that’s the case, I’m never falling in love**

**Shiro: Thanks <3**

**Lance: Is anyone free rn?**

**Keith: Yeah, why?**

**Lance: I’m writing my research paper in Balmera but it’s dead empty and I’m BORED**

**Keith: Aren’t you supposed to be bored? You’re writing a research paper.**

**Lance: I don’t need your sass, Kogane.**

**Keith: I’ll be there in 10.**

**Pidge: Did they just…**

**Hunk: I-**

**Lance: Not a word.**

**\----**

Keith walks in the door of Balmera Coffee 13 minutes later (Not that Lance is counting or anything), wearing a red scarf almost the same color as his wind-flushed cheeks. He orders exactly what Lance knows he’s going to order _(A double-shot on ice, in the dead of winter, the weirdo.)_ before his eyes finally fall on the corner table. 

Lance raises his arm in a wave, and Keith just nods back, grabbing his drink and taking the seat across from him. 

And because Lance apparently cannot start a conversation like a normal person, he asks, “ _What_ are you wearing?” 

Keith looks down at his yoga pants and cropped grey shirt, “Uh...clothes?” 

Lance rolls his eyes, “It’s twenty below outside.” 

“I just taught a yoga class! Plus, I wore a jacket and a scarf.” 

Lance shakes his head, “Still.” 

Keith just stabs his drink with a straw (Perhaps with little more force than is strictly necessary) and leans across the table, “What’s it about?” 

“What?” 

“Your research paper.” 

Lance blinks, “Oh, uh. It’s about a fish that can steal bioluminescence from its prey, look-”, he turns the laptop around and Keith examines the page for a minute, confusion evident in his face. 

Lance starts, “You don’t have to-” 

Keith cuts him off, “I want to. Tell me about it.” 

Lance spends a few minutes rambling about how the research disproves anything scientists thought they knew about bioluminescence in the marine world, and other intricate details of his theory, including hypothetical field research he was in no way qualified to perform. 

Keith just nods, humming along like he understands, or at least like he’s trying to. 

An unbidden and totally inappropriate thought makes its way into Lance’s mind. 

_This could be a date. Getting coffee together on a Sunday morning, talking about the future, just lean a little further, just tilt your head up a little and-_

“-Lance?” 

“What?”, he replies, too quickly. 

Keith just smiles a little, “You just… you stopped talking.” 

“Oh, right. It was something dumb.”, he finishes lamely, eyes suddenly drawn to the laptop bag Keith had brought with him, “What about you? Any essays to write?” 

Keith shrugs, “Just one, but it’s Pride and Prejudice.” 

“Like the movie with Keira Knightley?” 

Keith just gives him a flat stare. 

Lance laughs, “I’m kidding, dude. So tell me, what’s the _meaning_ of the book? What does the book say to your soul?” 

Keith shoves him lightly, “Shut up. Besides, it doesn’t require a ton a soul-searching, it’s a romantic comedy.” 

“Okay, fine. What’s a _theme?_ ” 

Keith just stares at him again.

“What? I passed high school English.” 

Keith just sighs, “I guess I’m exploring the general idea that marriage for love is the only feasible option, considering all the marriages for convenience or money fail pretty miserably in all of Austen’s work.” 

“Didn’t know you were such a romantic.” 

Lance expects Kieth to snap back with something scathing, like, _“I didn’t know you were such a jackass”_ but he just rubs the back of his neck, ears turning pink. _Weird._ “You’d-uh...be surprised.” 

Lance blinks, confused, and breaks whatever weird atmosphere had been created, “So, any other secrets I should know about, Romeo?” 

Keith glares. _Back to normal._ “You know, the book also cautions against associating with overly charming people.” 

Lance leans across the table a little, “So you admit I’m charming?” 

Keith scoffs, “Not in this lifetime.” 

Once they’ve both got their laptops out, the conversation dwindles and they fall into a familiar, comfortable silence. And it’s so unsettlingly domestic that Lance has to almost physically shake himself from thinking Keith could ever feel the same way. 

“You okay?”

Lance almost sighs. _Shit, is it THAT obvious?_ “Yeah, fine. Just a little tired.” 

Keith nods, not pressing the issue. Which is so out of character Lance has to ask, “Are _you_ okay?” 

“Yeah, why?” 

“You’ve been kinda weird since the engagement party.” 

Keith tenses, expression hardening into something unreadable, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Dude, come on-” 

Keith shoves his laptop back in the bag before shrugging his coat on and grabbing the bright red scarf from the back of his chair, “You know what? I just remembered...I have a thing.”

Lance raises an eyebrow, “A...thing?” 

Keith stubbornly refuses to make eye contact, heading for the door, “Yep! See ya around.”

Before Lance can reply, the bell over the door is ringing and Keith is gone. 

_“See ya around?”_ , he repeats, to the now empty seat in front of him. 

After that, Lance has trouble focusing on his paper, instead just sitting and staring blankly out the window wondering _what the hell just happened?_

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Take a shot every time Keith deals with his emotions poorly) 
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated!


	7. unfortunate typos and unmixed signals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith glares at him, “I don’t look like a criminal.” 
> 
> “You act like one.” 
> 
> Keith rolls his eyes, “I’m a ballet teacher.” 
> 
> “You busted your ex’s car window right in front of me.”, Lance counters quickly, raising an eyebrow. 
> 
> “I-”, Keith starts, before giving up and glowering at the floor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, gang so we've hit 10k. sick! Only a few chapters left (I swear there will be more dancing in those)

And just like that, they’re back to normal, like the twilight zone of empty coffee shops and awkward silence never happened. 

“Bet I can get more sign-ups than you.”, Lance says, leaning into Keith’s space a little more than is strictly necessary. 

Instead of rising to the challenge, Keith just groans, “No way, you  _ know  _ I’m shitty at this.” 

“ _ This _ ” being the studio open house held right before the spring session of classes starts. In which the instructors have ten minutes to charm unwilling parents into blowing about three hundred dollars on the off chance their child will even like the sport. 

Lance, obviously,  _ loved  _ the open houses. Gave him a chance to utilize his skills as a conversationalist and a people pleaser. 

Keith, on the other hand…

“I just don’t see why Allura’s so hung up on the smiling thing.” 

Lance sighs, “Maybe so you look a little less like a hardened criminal and a little more like someone they’d trust their kids with?”, he offers weakly. 

Keith glares at him, “I don’t look like a criminal.” 

“You act like one.” 

Keith rolls his eyes, “I’m a ballet teacher.” 

“You busted your ex’s car window right in front of me.”, Lance counters quickly, raising an eyebrow. 

“I-”, Keith starts, before giving up and glowering at the floor. 

“That’s what I thought.”, Lance smirks, before leaving to make sure everything is going alright at the front desk. 

Predictably, everything is going to shit. 

Allura, in all her infinite beauty and wisdom, had the organizational skills of someone who’d never planned an event in their life. 

Lance, in all  _ his  _ infinite beauty and wisdom, steps in. “What seems to be the problem, princess?”, he asks, gesturing to the growing pile of crumpled papers at her feet. 

Allura groans, “There’s a  _ typo  _ on the sign-up sheets, Lance. A  _ typo!  _ What parent is going to take our studio seriously if we can’t  _ spell?  _ “ 

Since taking over for her late father, Allura has been a little...intense. 

Lance nods, keeping his expression carefully blank, “Okay, that’s fine. No- don’t..okay, Lura, look at me. It’s gonna be  _ fine _ .” 

She nods, “What should we do?” 

Lance examines the paper in his hand (She had misspelled  _ dance,  _ this would be a little tricky) “Claim the public education system wouldn’t have failed us if we’d enrolled in dance classes earlier?” 

Allura glares, “Lance.” 

He lifts his hands in mock surrender, “Okay, okay...We could just print more? I mean, this doesn’t seem like-” 

She sighs, “Nobody has a printer, I’ve checked, and the university is too far, I’d never make it back in time.” 

Lance, admittedly, is at a loss,  _ How were they supposed to get new students without sign up sheets? _

Pidge wanders in, tapping her phone screen like it’s personally offended her, “Hey guys, when does the fresh meat get here?” 

“Don’t call our clients that.”, Allura frowns. 

Pidge just shrugs, “Where are the flyers? I bet Hunk I could get more sign-ups than him.” 

Lance snorts, “With  _ jazz?  _ You’re dreaming.” 

Pidge pouts, “Keith called dibs on ballet. And besides, jazz is cool!” 

Lance nearly doubles over, unflinching under the heat of Pidge’s scowl. 

Allura clears her throat, “We don’t have any flyers, there’s a typo and-” 

Lance zones out as Allura repeats the simple but seemingly unsolvable problem, and after Pidge has finished laughing over the fact that they misspelled  _ dance  _ of all words, she rolls her eyes. “Chill out, we’ll just tell them to sign up through the website.” 

Allura blinks, “The...website.” 

Pidge narrows her eyes, “We  _ do  _ have a company website, right?” 

Allura stiffens, “Of course we do.” 

“Right, then just direct them there.” 

Allura tries, fruitlessly, to stop Pidge from logging onto the company computer. 

“We  _ have  _ a website but-” 

“It hasn’t been updated since 1995?!”, Pidge shouts, incredulous. 

Allura looks down, and Lance can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy, she wasn’t the most tech-savvy. 

Luckily…

“You know what? I’ve got it.”, Pidge says after a minute, fingers hitting the ancient keyboard with satisfying clicks. 

Allura just stares, “You’ve...what?” 

After typing furiously for a couple of minutes, Pidge backs away from the computer, giving Allura a gesture that clearly says  _ “Take a look”  _

Allura’s eyes widen, “Pidge, how did you-” 

“Not my first tech-related emergency, Just tell them to sign up on the site and it’ll go back to our database-” 

Allura crushes Pidge in a hug, “Thank you.” 

Lance can’t help but feel like he’s intruding on a moment, and as a matter-a-fact is about to leave the room when Pidge says; 

“It’s all good, I know Lance is inept at techy stuff anyway.” 

He spins on his heel, “How  _ dare  _ you, I’ll have you know-” 

Pidge narrows her eyes, unimpressed. “Exactly how many computers have you broken in the last year?” 

Lance falters, “Well-” 

“How about  _ phones _ ?”, she asks, cutting him off, expression shifting from annoyed to smug. 

He huffs and turns to leave, “You’re a menace. Did you know that? A  _ menace.”  _

Pidge just laughs. 

\----

The open house is going fine. Better than fine actually, Lance has never seen this big a turnout. He chalks it up to their win at nationals last year, leaving their competitive team one of the top-ranked in the country _ (Thanks to one Takashi Shirogane)  _

Across the hall, standing outside of studio C and looking utterly overwhelmed, is Lance’s friend/crush/rival/co-worker/ _Jesus_ _ fucking christ.  _ Keith looks like he’d rather be hit by a truck than have one more conversation with a dance mom. 

_ Okay, McClain, turn on the charm.  _

“You’ve got a wicked case of resting bitch face.”, he says, leaning against the doorframe. 

_ Not like that, fuck.  _

Keith rolls his eyes, “Thanks for the reminder.”, and then, “How are you so  _ good  _ at this?” 

Normally, Lance would reply something snarky like,  _ “Because I’m good at everything.”  _ but given the desperate look on Keith’s face, he decides against it. “Good at what?” 

Keith makes a frustrated hand gesture, “ _ This.  _ People. Talking to people.” 

“I believe you’re talking to a person right now.” 

Keith sighs and turns towards the door. “Shut up.” 

Lance stops him, “No, wait. I know what you meant.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Listen-”, he starts, before fumbling a little, “We’ve all got our strengths, and as much as it pains me to say it, you’ve got a  _ lot  _ of strengths. You’re an amazing teacher, Keith, seriously. So just tell them your lesson plans and how you’re gonna make their kid the  _ best goddamn dancer on the planet  _ and they’ll be signing up faster than you can say….uh…” 

“What?” 

“I can’t think of a ballet related pun, hold on.” 

Keith looks like he might be holding back a smile, “Lance-” 

“Shut up I’m thinking-” 

“Thank you.” 

There’s a beat of silence, before Lance replies, “It’s no problem, really.” 

And Jesus,  _ when did they get this close.  _ He’s close enough to see light freckles on Keith’s nose, and the way his eyes drift down to Lance’s lips before snapping back up, and... _ wait, what?- _

There’s an awkward cough and Keith literally _jumps_ backward, Lance would laugh if he weren’t so mortified. The woman standing in front of them just smiles, “Sorry, but any idea where the bathroom is?”

Lance clears his throat, “Second door on the left, you can’t miss it.” 

She nods and continues down the hall. 

“I should-uh...head back in there.”, Keith says after a minute of unmistakably awkward silence.

Lance nods stiffly, “Right, me too.” 

As Lance heads back to the room, he thinks, more than a little relieved, that maybe he might not be reading things wrong at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! kudos and comments are really appreciated!
> 
> (Decided in this chapter that ONE of them should probably get their shit together.)


	8. bros in hot tubs and blue tuxes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s like I’m handing you a paper marked, “Do you have a crush on me? check yes or no."
> 
> Keith decides not to justify that with a response

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW, she's done, boys. (I would like to note that by "bike" I mean motorcycle.) 
> 
> I would also like to say THANK YOU for reading this far, I appreciate it.

[ **Chat: two bros, chilling in an apartment, five feet apart cuz they’re both gay > Keith, Allura]**

**Keith: Why would you change the chat name to that?**

**Allura: So you’re gonna tell me I’m wrong?**

**Keith: ...no.**

**Allura: Where are you? Shiro’s gonna kill you if you don’t show.**

**Keith: Tell him I’m dying.**

**Allura: No.**

**Keith: I can’t, it’s too weird.**

**Allura: It’s only weird if you make it weird.**

**Keith: Is Lance there?**

**Allura: Yeah.**

**Keith: Then I’m gonna make it weird.**

**Allura: You’re so dramatic.**

**Keith: Last week you cried for an hour when our kettle broke.**

**Allura: Your point?**

**Keith: …**

**Allura: I’m giving you ten minutes before I physically drag your ass over here.**

**Keith: Ugh, fine.**

**\----**

Keith puts his phone down with a sigh, what was he even supposed to  _ say?  _

_ “Hey, Lance. Sorry I almost kissed you at a work event, if it helps, I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you?”  _

_ Or, “Hey, so you’ve been super extra flirty since the open house and I’m pretty sure you’re making fun of me but it’s nice anyway?”  _

_ Or,  _ he reasons,  _ You could just say hi like a normal person.  _

Stupid logic. 

He tries to run a comb through his admittedly disastrous hair ( _ Not  _ because it was a mullet because it  _ wasn’t okay? _ He just had bad bedhead) , before giving up and pulling it into a tight ponytail, some stubborn strands falling out and framing his face. 

_ It’s fine, it’s just Lance. You see him every day.  _

He’s managed to soothe his nerves by the time he parks his bike in front of Shiro’s apartment complex. Which lasts all of ten seconds before he’s dragged inside by Pidge and Hunk, both muttering something about a white and gold color scheme. 

Lance is there, as expected, looking handsome and charming and extremely untouchable. 

Keith refuses to meet his gaze and instead resolves to watch Shiro and Adam make heart-eyes at each other, even though the grainy skype camera Keith can see the absolutely lovesick expression on his brother fianc é’s face. 

Predictably, peace doesn’t last long as he’s forced into flipping through men's fashion magazines with the exact person he’s trying to avoid. 

“Why are all of these suits  _ blue?”,  _ Keith mutters after a few minutes of tense silence. 

Lance snaps his magazine shut, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, so you’re talking to me now?” 

Keith rolls his eyes, “I talk to you every day.” 

“Not since-” 

Keith cuts him off, “Don’t say it.” 

Lance just sighs, leaning a little further across the table, “Listen, dude. I get it, few have been able to resist my stunning good looks and irrefutable charm-” 

“I wouldn’t say  _ that-”  _

Instead of ignoring the interruption, Lance just levels him with an annoyingly knowing look, “Then what would you say?” 

“I-...nothing.” 

“Nothing? So you’re not hopelessly-” 

Keith practically scoffs, “ _ Hopeless _ ? Have you been talking to Allura?” 

Lance’s eyebrows nearly disappear into his hairline before that stupid smug smirk spreads across his face, “Depends.” 

Keith crosses his arms, “On what?”

“On what exactly you told Allura.” 

_ Oh shit. Abort, get the fuck out of this.  _ “Shiro said he was doing black, why are all of these suits blue?”

“You’re in the winter section, babe.” 

Keith nearly chokes, “Babe?” 

“Yeah?” 

_ Fuck.  _ “I’m gonna get some air.” 

Keith, apparently, doesn’t know Lance as well as he thinks, because he forgot his  _ biggest  _ pet-peeve. 

“Well, I’ll come with you.” 

_ Being ignored.  _

And great, just  _ great.  _ Now they’re standing on Shiro’s tiny patio and Keith feels like he might explode and Lance keeps looking at him like he’s  _ expecting _ something-

Lance’s teasing smirk eases up a little, morphing into something resembling concern. “Dude are you-” 

Keith’s mouth is moving before his brain can catch up,  _ typical.  _ “Look, I get it, okay? I get it. I was being dumb, and embarrassing, and stupid. I’m sorry, lesson learned, won’t happen again. But…”, he pauses for a second, but before Lance can reply, he starts up again, “Do you have to keep  _ mocking  _ me every ten fucking seconds? I thought we were  _ friends,  _ I thought-...I don’t know.” 

Lance opens his mouth but Keith is out the door and ignoring the confused protests of his friends as he grabs his jacket and promptly books it the fuck out of there. 

He  _ really _ doesn’t need a rejection today. 

He’s just started thinking about how fucking awkward this is gonna be at his next shift when Lance bursts into the hallway after him. 

_ Dramatic.  _ Keith barely suppresses the urge to roll his eyes. 

He’s about to pick up his pace, about to tell Lance to fuck off, about to-

But before he can do any of that, he’s being pressed against a wall and struggling to remember why he was so mad in the first place because  _ wow _ . 

Lance stops about a breath away from Keith’s lips, hands braced against the wall on either side of his head, Keith could duck under them and continue down the hall but he really,  _ really,  _ doesn’t want to. 

“Let me talk for a second because you’re confusing as hell.”, Lance says, voice just a little above a whisper. “I like you, _a lot_. And when you almost kissed me the other day, all I could think was  _ finally,  _ we don’t have to dance around this anymore- no pun intended- but then you start acting all-”, Lance gestures like he’s struggling to find the words, “ _ Emo,  _ like you don’t want anything to do with me, so naturally the flirting starts up, because that’s who I am, and you won’t even  _ look  _ at me.” 

Lance stops, and clears his throat a little, “What I’m saying is, I wasn’t  _ mocking _ you, or whatever, I like you. And I’m pretty sure you like me too, and  _ god  _ this feels so middle school.” 

Keith raises an eyebrow, “What does?” 

“It’s like I’m handing you a paper marked,  _ “Do you have a crush on me? check yes or no.”  _

Keith decides not to justify that with a response, and instead drags Lance down by the lapels of his stupid green jacket until their lips connect. 

And god,  _ first kisses shouldn’t be this good. How is he so good at this? _

Lance’s hands move from the wall to Keith’s hips as he makes a low hum at the back of his throat that Keith wants to keep hearing for the rest of forever.

_ Jesus Christ.  _

Lance’s grip tightens a little, Keith bites back a very embarrassing noise that tries to escape his mouth, and pulls back, remembering  _ where they were.  _

“Lance…”, he starts, but it comes out more like a gasp. 

“Don’t say my name like that right now, Keith, I swear to  _ god- _ ” 

Keith backs away further, trying to stop  _ that  _ train of thought immediately, “No, shut up. We’re in a hallway.” 

“And?”

“We’re not in a bedroom.” 

Lance raises an eyebrow, “Do you  _ want  _ to be in a bedroom?” 

Keith sputters, face going impossibly redder, “Wha-I...No! That’s beside the point.” 

“What  _ is  _ the point?” 

Keith groans, “The point is that we’re adults with apartments and we don’t have to make out in an empty hallway where our  _ friends  _ could walk out at any minute.” 

Lance shrugs, “I mean-” 

Keith sighs, “No, end of story.” 

“Okay, your place or mine?” 

“What makes you think it’s either?”, Keith snaps. 

Lance just grins and eyes the vice-like grip Keith  _ still _ has on his jacket. Keith lets go abruptly and keeps his hand carefully at his sides, “...My place.” 

Keith starts towards the stairwell with Lance quickly falling into step next to him, “So….” 

“Yes?” 

Lance looks at him like he’s monumentally missed something, which at this point, is very possible, “Yes or no?” 

This time, Keith actually  _ does  _ roll his eyes, “Are we still on this?  _ Yes.”  _

It’s not actually until they’re in the parking lot that Lance says, “Wait, what  _ did  _ you tell Allura? Now I’m curious.” 

Keith just spins on his heel, walking towards his bike as fast as he can without running, “You know what? I take it back, I don’t like you.” 

Lance speeds up to match, and in the blink of an eye they’re both in a full sprint, Lance’s eyes lighting up like a kid on Christmas, stupidly competitive, as usual.  _ Not so usual,  _ Keith is having trouble bringing himself to be annoyed with it.

Lance pants, a little out of breath but with a shit-eating grin on his face, “So, are you enamored with me? Or just completely head over heels?” 

Keith just shakes his head, “You wish.” 

_ You have no idea.  _

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dude that's kinda...gay. 
> 
> (PS, take a shot every time Keith rolls his eyes) 
> 
> (PS, take a shot every time someone raises an eyebrow) 
> 
> (Ps, take a shot every time the author goes EXTREMELY out of character for Keith and Allura bc they were wronged in canon and they just want them to be friends) 
> 
> THANK YOU FOR READING <3 kudos and comments are loved and appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, sick! not gonna lie, this is probably gonna be a long one. kudos and comments are always appreciated!


End file.
